Electric outlet box wrench



Feb. 25, 1941. w, BOWLES 2233,0 16

ELECTRliC OUTLET BOX WRENCH Filed Sept. 12, 1938 4b INVENTOR.

W/w/am a. BOW/65 Patented Feb. 25, 1941 OFFICE f ELECTRIC OUTLET BOX WRENCH Wil iam J- B La Mesa, Calif- I V Application September 12, 1938, Serial N9'1229,5'13

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a wrench for tightening the spanner nuts in the electric conduit outlet box and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a wrench of this class which is is applicable for use in connection with all of the spanner nuts in the box;

Second, to provide a wrench of this class which is particularly applicable for use in connection with the spanner nut in electric outlet boxes for electric conduits;

Third, to provide a wrench of this class which is adjustable for various sized nuts;

Fourth, to provide a wrench of this class with an interchangeable handle so that thewrench 7 may be used in various positions in the box;

Fifth, to provide a wrench of this class which is easy to apply on the nuts in boxes; and

Sixth, to provide a wrench of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, easy to operate, efficient in its action, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these' and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination 7 and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which the electric outlet form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a front side elevational view of an electric outlet box and showing my wrench as applied to the spanner nut in various positions in said box; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of my wrench showing the handle fragmentarily and shown in one position in the socket member;

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the wrench with the handle omitted on an enlarged scale and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken from the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and showing the wrench key in varying adjusted position in dash line.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing:

The socket member I, roller member 2, adjusting key 3, adjusting nut 4, spring ,5 and handle 6 constitute the principal parts and portions of my electric outlet box wrench.

The socket member I is mainly substantially cylindrical in form and provided in one end with a square recess I a with a slight groove in one side lb and with a circular recess inwardly toward the bottom to adapted as a guide for a protruding ball and as a recess for holding the protruding ball of the handle member 6. This socket member is also provided in one side with a square hole Id shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, which intersects with and extends into the recess la, the recess Ic serving for the ball when 5 a handle is inserted in either of the recesses id or 1d. This member I is a so provided with a slot [6 in one side in which is shiftably mounted the key member3. This member 3 is pivoted near the upper end of the member! by means 10 of the pivot members 3a, while the opposite end is shiftable outwardly as shown by dash lines in Fig. 4 of the drawing. This member I is also provided with a round recess If in which is mounted a spring 5, the one end of which is adapted to engage the inner side of the key member 3, as shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawing. This spring 5 tends to hold the key member 3 outwardly as shown by dash lines in Fig.

4 of the drawing. This member I is also provided with an external thread intermediate its ends at lg on which is screw threaded the adjusting nut 4 so that the nut 4 may be turned around the member I. This member 4 is provided with a plurality of slots in its inner side 4a, 4b,-and 4c in which the outer side of the key member 3 rests so that the nut 4 may be turned so that one of these notches 4a, 4b or 40 permits the key member to extend outwardly and is pressed outwardly by the spring 5. This key member 3 is provided with a downwardly extending portion 31) at its lower end which is adapted to engage the notches of the spanner nut at its inner side for turning the same when the socket member I is turned. This socket 3 member I is provided with an extended journal portion lh, which is provided-with a flange at its extended end Ii, and mounted on this journal portion Ih is a roller member 2 which is adapted to revolve on the portion la as shown best in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing. This member i l with the roller 2 is adapted to be inserted in the hollow portion of the nut and the key portion 3 engages the notches in said nut for turning said nut. The handle member 6 is provided at each end with a square portion 5a with the conventional protruding ball 6b with a spring back of it, not shown, so that either end may be inserted in either of the recesses la or ID and the roller member 2 positioned in the hollow portion of the nut and the nut turned.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement, substantially as set forth in theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

1. In an electric outlet box wrench of the class described, a socket member provided with a roller adapted to fit into the hollow portion of an electric outlet box nut, a key member pivotally connected to said socket member in spaced relation with said roller adapted to engage the outer side of said nut for turning the same, means for adjusting said key member for various sized nuts, including an annular nut positioned around said socket member provided with varying depth slots in its inner surface adapted to receive said key and spring means tending to hold said key outwardly in said slot.

2. In an electric outlet box Wrench of the class described, a socket member provided with a roller adapted to fit into the hollow portion of an electric outlet box nut, a key member pivotally connected to said socket member in spaced relation with said roller adapted to engage the outer side of said nut for turning the same, means for adjusting said key member for various sized nuts, including an annular nut positioned around said socket member provided with varying depth slots in its inner surface adapted to receive said key and spring means tending to hold said key outwardly in said slot, and a handle provided with square ends adapted to fit in conforming recesses in said socket member.

- WILLIAM J. BOWLES. 

